


It Starts with a Mark

by Trees_Between_Their_Toes



Series: Soularks/mates/animals world [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Moving Tattoo(s), Spirit Animals, soul tattoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 20:28:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10316339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trees_Between_Their_Toes/pseuds/Trees_Between_Their_Toes
Summary: Everyone has a soulmate. Therefore, everyone has a spirit animal and a tattoo on the inside of their left wrist. Up until you meet your soulmate, you will be keeping their spirit animal as though it were your pet. Your own spirit animal will be tattooed on your wrist. When you meet you soulmate, the tattoo shifts so that both animals are on there.His entire life, all Sirius has wanted to do was meet his soulmate. So why is it that Lily is the one to do it for him?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey,  
> This is my first Wolfstar fic so I really hope you enjoy it! I've been working really hard on it and I'm actually kinda proud of it. It is purely for my own indulgence, though I still hope you do enjoy it.  
> ~Treetops

“Big, black dog at six o’clock.” Peter whispered once he was close enough to Sirius for him to hear the said whispers. 

 

Turning his whole body, Sirius eyed up the dog and it’s keeper. She was a simple looking girl, nothing ground shattering. Light, chocolate brown hair and a rather large nose that looked fairly odd on her small, round face. Not Sirius’ usual type, but he wasn’t complaining. It could be a lot worse. Turing back to his friend he whispered, “Thanks Pete.”

 

Within seconds, he was leaning on the bar next to ‘miss large nose’ requesting yet another beer. Moony, the wolf he was keeping, slowly trailed along behind him before lying at his feet. Once he was securely leaning, his eyes were free to do a mad search for her tattoo on her wrist. 

 

‘Damn it’, he thought, ‘typical that the rudding girl keeps it covered up!’

 

 The moment that thought came into his mind she lifted her arm. A simple gesture, in this case to reach for her beverage, yet a gesture that filled Sirius full of hope. As her arm rose, her sleeve lifted up and there it was. Clear as day. Her tattoo. A tattoo of … a dolphin. No wolf, but a stupid, floral dolphin. 

 

 _‘How can a dolphin even be floral? I’m bloody glad she’s not my soul mate!’_  

 

A sigh dripping with frustration left Sirius’ lips as despising glare fell upon his face. Yet another failure for the great Sirius. With his beer now in hand, he spun round and shook his head at his visibly eager friend. With a face full of frustration and disappointment, Peter looked as Sirius felt. 

 

Just as he was about to make his way back, a red head sat on the old stool next to him. At first glance you could tell she was beautiful. Bright green eyes and full lips, with the fieriest hair you’d ever seen. But unfortunately for her, that wasn’t what you’d first look at. You see, next to her stood a stag. You should trust Sirius when he says that that stag was hard to miss. It was bloody massive. So big that it took up half the bar space by itself. Yet all it was doing was staring at its keeper. Whoever her soul mate was, they were gonna be sappy.

 

“That must be a pain in the arse, huh?” Sirius nudged her as he spoke, nodding towards the great beast.

 

She turned to look at him, then the stag, then back at him. “You have no idea”, was her only response before she took another sip from her beer.

 

“Hey, what’s your tattoo then?”

 

“Not a wolf, that’s for sure.” She responded, nodding towards the ash brown wolf lying at his feet.

Also looking done at him, Sirius chuckled. “Oh, no not for me. I’m not a stag anyway. It’s just, my best mate is and, you know, it might have been nice to find his soulmate for ‘im”, he said with his head up once again.

 

With a small chuckle and a long sigh, she gave in. “It’s a doe. Kinda fitting isn’t it?”

 

A mad grin spread across the black haired man’s face. With one swift movement, Sirius got out his phone. In another, he had his best friend, James Potter, on the phone.

 

“Hey, Potter. Saturday night is ‘Sirius’s Soul Mate Finding Night’ right?”

 

There was a pause before James replied, his voice full of suspicion. “Yeeeaaahhh… Why?”

 

 “Well then, why the bloody hell have I found your soul mate on a Saturday? You should probably get your arse down to the usual place. I may have just found your soulmate for you, ya lazy git.” All he heard from the other end was a frantic yelp in excitement before he had hung up. 

 

By this point, Peter had made his way over after the failed return of his friend. And it wasn’t long afterwards that James decided to show his stupid face. Apparently work will not allow you to have time off to help your bestest friend ever find the most important person if their life, but will jump at the chance to offer time off when you might maybe find your soul mate. Sirius still, to this day, doesn’t believe it (even though it’s true). 

The moment James stepped into the pub was truly incredible. On the run up, the stag was going crazy, awaiting its spirit-owner, and the red-head keeper was also freaking out. Not once in his life had Sirius seen anyone so nervous. Yet the moment the Doe saw the Stag and James saw the girl, everything was … different. It was an atmosphere like no other. When James’s hazel eyes met her bright green ones Sirius swears he hears James’s heart skip a beat. Too bloody sappy. There’s an unusual sound, and when they both turn to look at their wrists Sirius could see a stag and doe curled up together – much like they were in real life.

 

Everyone who was blessed enough to be in the bar at the time knew that this was the start of something beautiful.

 

………………………………………………

 

It had been a few weeks since James and the red-head, now to be known as Lily Evans, started there sappy, super gross, something-you-find-in-movies relationship. Well, more like James being a sappy, super gross, someone-you-find-in-movies boyfriend and Lily was just being her lovely, charming self. So far, everything seemed to be amazing. Especially for James. Sirius would know. He was the one who was forced to listen to the daydreams and fantasies. So yeah, everything was well. Except for Sirius.

Now that James had found his mate, Saturdays and Fridays had become ‘Sirius’ Soul Mate Finding Night’ (much to Peter’s displeasure as he only got Sunday). Yet no matter how many nights they spent wasting away in the pub on this hopeless search for the one, they could not seem to find them. Until one evening when Lily just happened to gaze upon his wrist.

“Sirius,” she started, “is that a dog?”

Sirius blinked down at her, setting down her wine glass on the surface. Currently, Lily was sitting on the stool next to the island in the kitchen as Sirius was leaning on it. James and Peter were in the next room.

A grin spread across his face. “Yeah, a big black dog. That is what we are usually looking for most nights. That and walking, talking pure sexy sex."

She stared at him. He stared back. Her mouth hanging open. His still a deadly grin. She gulped. His face fell.

“Why?” He asked, worry lacing his words.

“Erm … well-”, caution was dripping out of her every word as Sirius leant forward, as though she was whispering and he didn’t want to miss what she was saying. His big, scared, silver eyes stared at her, urging her to go on. At last, she gave in. “Listen, I probably should have asked as soon as I saw the wolf, much as you did with the stag, but I guess it just didn’t occur to me -”

“What is it Lily? Do you know someone? Or something? Am I destined to be forever alone, wallowing in self-pity, wasting away what little time I have left in this cruel, cruel world?” By the end of this short series of questions, Sirius had somehow crawled onto the surface of the island.

Releasing her long overdue glare and directing it at him, she continued. “No! I just… I may know someone… who’s keeping a dog… and whose spirit animal is a wolf”

There was a loud ass squeal, and it wasn’t from either of them.

James stood at the door way with is arms raised above his head and a grin that could blind the gods. 

 

“YOU KNOW SIRIUS’S SOULMATE? WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY BEFOREHAND!?” 

“Well it just hadn’t occurred to me I suppose”

"Lily, you see him practically every day, how could it not have occurred to you?"

"SHHHH AND TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE!" It was Sirius' time to scream (Jeez I feel sorry for the neighbours). He looked at the couple with such excitement, swapping between the two faces. 

 

Desperately, he scrambled off the counter and onto the floor in front of Lily. He fell to his knees, grabbed her hand and whispered, "Please, tell me how I can get to them!"With a sigh, Lily freed her hand, stood from her stool, and went to fetch her coat before coming back all wrapped up, ready for the winter air, with her car keys in hand.

"Come on then, I highly doubt he'll be out."

With that, Sirius squealed, again, and ran to get his best coat. Not before checking his hair and changing his outfit. Gotta look good for the soulmate. 

 _‘Oh God,’_ he thought, _‘I'm about to meet my soulmate. This is the person I've been waiting to meet my whole life. I'm about to meet Moony's owner. I'm about to meet my animal, my dog. Oh I wonder what they've called it?! Oh crap, what if they're not happy with me?! What if they hate me?! What if-‘_

He was cut off by a knock at his door.

"Come on Sirius, if we don't leave now then Lily will be too tired to drive us so I'll have to do it, and you know how that'll end!"

Sirius sniggered. Last time James was behind the wheel, they ended up in the middle of a field. No one is sure quite how it happened.

With one last look at his floor to ceiling mirror, he walked out into the lounge. James gave him his signature smirk before saying, "Hey, you look good for once."

"Oh fuck off, I always look good!" Sirius retorted before returning the smirk. Once everyone was ready, they said good bye to Pete, and headed off.

 

………………………………………………

 

Never in his life had Sirius experienced a tenser car ride. It was exceptional. Lily was fretting over logistics – whether she had gotten it wrong or if she had never noticed –, Sirius himself was silenced by pure worry and wonder, whereas James was too damn awkward to break the quiet.

 

It didn’t take long before the car stopped. Sirius looked out onto the dark, wet streets. They were parked in front of a small coffee shop. It wasn’t anything unusual, just a coffee shop. Like an un-noticeable part of an un-extraordinary picture. Just a normal coffee shop. So why the bloody hell were they parked there?

 

“Lily, what’s up? Running low on petrol or just fancied a cuppa? Why’re we here?” he questioned from the back leaning forward slightly.

 

With a sigh, she responded, “This is where he lives, Sirius.” Shortly after, she opened her door and stepped out. James soon followed suit. Sirius gave a small grunt before follow the actions of his friends. 

 

So, there he stood on a cold, rainy Thursday night outside a lifeless coffee shop with the worst nerves he had ever experienced. He looked up at the towering building, sudden pressures rushing over him like a wave. It was clear there was enough space for a small apartment above the café, so he guessed that’s where this mystery man lived. In a shabby, tiny apartment above an old, boring café on a busy main road. Sure. Not what he would have usually gone for but sure.

 

He felt a small squeeze on his shoulder, and turned to see Lily with her amazing, heart-warming smile.

 

"Hey," she quietly said, "it's okay. You'll be okay. He's a really nice guy, I can't possibly think of any reason he'd have to reject you."

More nerves crashed upon him. Rejection. He hadn't even thought of that. He'd just been worried they wouldn't like each other. But he knew that Lily hadn't meant to worry him, so instead he just drew in a shaky breath and smiled before saying, "Thanks Lily."

 

"Alright, come on then. It's just through here", she announced, leading the two men to a small door just slightly to the left of the coffee shop. She fished out a key and stuck it in the old, rusted lock before heaving the door open. Inside they saw a rather steep, battered staircase leading up into a black abyss. An abyss that was soon obliterated when Lily switched on the light switch.

 

Sirius stared up the stair case a moment longer before turning to his friends, longing for comfort and encouragement. And that's exactly what he received. Both Lily and James were looking at him with warm, comforting smiles. It was obvious they were going to make him go first. Looking forward once more, he drew another shaky breath and took his first step. His first step to the rest of his life. Now that he thought about it, he'd never been more scared to climb a bloody staircase. So he pushed all his nerves and fears aside and took the next step. And the next. And the next and the next and the next. Until he had reached the top. There he was met with a wall. Just a wall. At first he confused until he saw a small hallway leading back past the staircase and to another. He groaned.

 

"We're not going to have to climb another staircase are we?" Moony whimpered beside him. Lily chuckled, "No, Sirius. His door is just there", she pointed over his shoulder to a door next to a small window. He stared at this door next to the small window. He hadn't noticed it before. That was it. The home of his soulmate.

 

Like a sudden wave, all of his fears and doubts came crashing back on top of him. He took a step back, only to find a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up at the owner. James gave him a reassuring smile before a small push to get him going again. 

 

Okay Sirius, you can do this. 

 

He staggered forward. Each step bringing him closer and closer to the door next to the small window until he was right in front of it. It looked battered and old yet well used and oddly loved. It was an unusual sight. He looked back at his friends, who gave him one last reassuring nod, before raising his hand and knocking lightly.

 

Nothing.

 

With a look of confusion apparent on his face, he looked out of the small window for any signs of life. All he saw was the bland street that he had just come from, with the small car and the pattering of rain on the pavement. He looked back at the door and knocked again, only this time harder. All of a sudden there was a loud barking sound. All three friends jumped before Lily started laughing.

 

"That's Padfoot," she giggled, "forgot he was so loud." 

 

Moony too started whining. He was circling Sirius' feet and scratching at the door. 

 

The unnerving feeling in his stomach only increased as a muffled voice came from behind the door. His palms stared sweating at the unmistakable sound of locks scraping and unlocking. And his heart actually stopped beating when the door opened.

 

There stood a man. To anyone else, he was a simple man. Short, ash brown hair. Warm, honey coloured eyes. And a small, awkward and yet comforting smile. Yet to Sirius he was the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes on. He was tall, thin, lanky and, to Sirius, perfect. As a shy smile spread across Sirius' face, the first in forever, he whispered, "Hi."

 

Time seemed to stop. There they were, soulmate and soulmate, staring at each other as if it were the first human face they'd seen in years. There was an awkward cough behind them.

 

"Hello Remus," Lily chirped, "good to see you again."

 

The man, Remus, turned to look at her before recognition flooded over his face. "Oh, erm, hello Lily. It's been a while", he laughed. He looked at her, then James then back at Sirius before smiling again. Sirius felt his heart stutter. "Erm, co- come in I suppose", he breathed while stepping aside to let them in. However, before they could go in a big black dog came bounding out. It ran past them all and practically jumped on moony.

 

Lily gave a laugh before dragging James inside with her. That left Sirius who called Moony before also stepping inside. Moony did as he was instructed with the big dog, Padfoot, close behind. 

 

Once the door was shut, there was silence. Sirius took this opportunity to look around the small apartment. It was warm and cosy. It had an old couch in the centre of the living room with a battered, worn out throw over it. A scruffy rug lay on the floor between the sofa and the television stand. A small coffee table stood on top of the rug, with empty mugs, tea stains, and countless books scattered across the surface. The small kitchen was just to the left of the living room. They were only connected by the small door and the huge windows that doubled up as a breakfast bar. The entire place was lit with a warm orangey glow. It was all very comforting and homely. Moony and Padfoot were curled up together under the small window on the far wall. Sirius could see himself spending hours just lazing around there. And if the man really was his soul mate, and god did Sirius hope so, he might do just that. He was interrupted from his short day dream to the sound of someone clearing their throat.

 

“Sorry for the mess”, Remus chuckled, “to be honest, I wasn’t really expecting visitors.” His gaze landed on Sirius before he hurried to look away.

 

Lily was the first to speak up. “Oh don’t be ridicules, Remus! This place is as charming as ever. Now let’s quite the pleasantries, Remus this is Sirius”, she motioned her hand towards Sirius, “and Sirius this is Remus”, she did the same action towards Remus. The two men looked at one another before exchanging quite greetings.

 

“And as you probably already have figured out, you two are soul mates!”

 

Silence fell over the room, the air absorbing the sudden truth. _Well, that was one way to get it out there_ , Sirius thought.

 

“And with that, we will leave you two to it!” She grabbed James’ hand and made a bee line for the door. “Have fun, and don’t forget to wear a condom!” 

 

Silence filled the room. It was deafening. Sirius was sure that Remus could hear his thumping heartbeat. It was empty. That was until the large dog, dubbed _Padfoot_ , broke the emptiness with a bark. A very, very, very loud bark. A high pitched, whine like bark. A bark.

 

Sirius couldn’t take it anymore; he broke down laughing with his arms wrapped around his stomach and tears in his eyes. It wasn’t long till he heard the other man join him with shallow, low chuckles that slowly developed into a full on howl. And that’s how it was for at least five minutes. The moment one started to calm down, the other would start up again and it was an unstoppable cycle.

 

Eventually they calmed down enough to take enough to breathe deep, heavy breaths from red faces. Panting, they looked at each other, grins ghosting their faces. Sirius stuck out his hand.

 

“Hi,” he gasped, “my name’s Sirius. It’s nice to meet you.”

 

Smiling, the other man copied his actions, grasping his hand. “Hello, Sirius. It’s nice to meet you too. I’m Remus.”

 

They stood there for a few moments, watching each other. Remus took this time to examine the perfect specimen that stood before him. He was shorter, but only by a few inches, and incredibly handsome. With a clear cut jaw line and sharp cheekbones. He had a five o’clock shadow that complimented his eyes; and, oh god, his eyes. They were grey, but so much more. Striking and powerful, like they alone could protect you. Not that he needed protecting, but it was just nice to see. His dark, shabby hair was pulled up into a messy bun that looked absolutely stunning on him. He really was a sight to behold. And he was Remus’ soulmate.

 

The smaller man broke the silence with a gasp. “Look!” he squealed, pointing down to his wrist. There lay a beautiful wolf curled up with the black dog. Picture perfect. Beautiful. Theirs.

 

Remus smiled again, also looking at his new tattoo. With a sudden burst of confidence, he looked up and at the beauty in front of him.

 

“Do you want to get some coffee?” The question was rushed, as though it had been accidently released from his tongue. However, it only took Sirius a moment to recover before he whispered, “I’d love too.”

**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!!!!!  
> So, what do you think? Please let me know, comments seriously make my day and I'm always happy to recieve helpful and constructive criticism. Also, please point out if I've made any mistakes so I can fix it.  
> If thinking of writing more fics based in the universe, though not all of them will be HP related. What do you think?  
> And, as always, if you need any help or want to talk about anything I am always here!  
> See you soon,  
> ~Treetops


End file.
